The National Gold Talent Squad has run away with a 43-7 win against a spirited Brumbies Talent Centre Squad at Canberra Stadium on Saturday afternoon in beautiful sunny conditions.
As the curtain raiser to the Brumbies v Bulls game, the match saw some of the best young rugby talent from around the country go head to head.
The Brumbies Talent Squad consisted of Under 18 players from all seven local clubs in Canberra and took it up to the National Squad in the early minutes.
But the National side soon took the early momentum stringing together an impressive sixteen phases, leading to fullback Tom Evans to slice through a gap for the first try.
Penalties and handling errors throughout the half cruelled any chance of the ACT gaining consistent ball, allowing the National’s to dominate the ruck.
The ongoing pressure took its toll on the young forwards of the ACT, with the Nationals gaining quick ball to set up runaway tries for outside backs Jamie Kotz and Jason Tomane.
Nationals Fullback Tom Evans played a classy first half, directing play from the back and having a hand in all four tries, as the National squad went to the break with a comfortable 26 point lead.
After being revved up by coach David Hooper at half time, the ACT produced some improved free flowing rugby in the early stages of the first half, applying pressure on the Nationals defence.
This pressure soon led to the ACT scoring their first try, with outside centre Leu Seipani busting his way over the line.
But any hope the ACT had of continuing their good form was quickly shut down, as the National’s maintained their elegant first half form running in another 3 tries, with inside centre Jason Tomane adding to his first half efforts with a brilliant solo effort.
A lack of possession and costly handling errors damaged any chance the ACT had of gaining any momentum in the second half, gifting an easy win to the National Squad.
National Gold Squad 43 (Jason Tomane 2, Dean Paragalli, Angus Allen, Jamie Kotz, Tom Evans tries; Tom Evans 4 cons beat Brumbies Talent Centre 7 ( Leu Seipani try; Seth Stolenberg con)
Brumbies Talent Centre XV
1. Davis Jensen
2. Ethan Jones
3. George Yates
4. Callum Richardson
5. Drew Turner
6. Sam Simmons
7. Arien Burger
8. Andrew Durham
9. Seth Stolenberg
10. James Martin
11. William Fangainiha
12. James Rumble
13. Leu Seipani
14. Daniel Garner
15. James Shepherd
Coach- D Hooper
Coach- S Rolfe
Manager- Charlie Fairfield Smith
National Gold Squad XV
1. Tyrel Lomax
2. Siuta Tai
3. Folau Fifita
4. Nick de Crespigny
5. Joshua Pearce
6. Andrew Fifita
7. Dean Paragalli
8. Angus Allen
9. Mitchell Douche
10. Seth Going
11. Jamie Kotz
12. Jason Tomane
13. Jordan Hope
14. Sam Allen
15. Tom Evans
Replacements
16. Lewis Oswald
17. Connal McInerney
18. Brendan Trudgen
19. Hamza Quzag
Coach/Manager- Andrew Clarke
Assistant Coach/Manager- Tom Beinke
